DAVE THOMAS DROPS PUCK IN WENDY'S SPOTS FOR ALL-STAR GAME

Wendy's kicks off its two-year, multimillion-dollar
alliance with the NHL during Sunday's All-Star Game,
according to Debbie Gebolys of the COLUMBUS DISPATCH.
Wendy's "will make their debut" with ads during Fox Sports'
telecast. One ad shows Wendy's Founder Dave Thomas as a
hockey goalie. Thomas says, "Holy moly, I'm a goalie!,"
before his teammates "realize that he doesn't know the first
thing about the game." Eventually, players find the right
role for Thomas -- as driver of the Zamboni. The spots were
filmed at Nassau Coliseum. Wendy's NHL deal includes four
commercial spots per broadcast through the '98 Stanley Cup
Finals, dasherboard advertising rights on U.S. hockey rinks
and a feature during each broadcast that "underscores the
sponsorship" (COLUMBUS DISPATCH, 1/15).